Trust is for the Weak
by stephfarrow94
Summary: There's more to Bel than he'll let anyone know. He's grown so good at hiding what he feels behind that maniacal grin, no one thinks he may feel more than just bloodlust. That was, until Tsuna realised there's a whole other side to the supposedly unfeeling Varia member. Yaoi, B27, BelxTsuna.
1. Chapter 1

Tsuna had been pretty sure of the fact that with the Ring Battles now over, he wouldn't be running into the Varia again anytime soon. Yamamoto and Gokudera hadn't been at school today, each tending to their own injuries received during their respective fights, leaving Tsuna to walk home alone for once. It was peaceful, but it didn't compare to the fun he had when they all left school together.

When the brunet had gotten halfway home, walking through the busy streets of Namimori, he stared at the ground, deep in thought about what was going to happen now that the Vongola had won the Ring Battles. He wasn't sure he wanted to go through with this at all, but what choice did he have now that he knew someone like _Xanxus _could be in charge? At least _Tsuna _would have decency about the job.

As Tsuna got closer to the pedestrian lights, he looked up. He wasn't expecting much, just curious about if someone was already waiting and hit the button; it was always a convenience when the green man started flashing just as you got to the crossing. Though he didn't see anyone at the lights, what he _did _see was a familiar head of blond standing at the edge of the road, nowhere _near _a safe and _legal _crossing, seemingly so caught up in their own little world, they hadn't even noticed the steady stream of cars that weren't going to let him cross safely any time soon.

Something wasn't right about the situation, Tsuna felt. It seemed as if the blond had barely any awareness of what was happening around him, and he was _far _too close to all those cars, and –

_Beeeeeeep!_

"Belphegor!" Tsuna jumped forward, grabbing the Varia Storm and pulling him out of the way of the car he had just stepped in front of. The brunet flinched as the car whizzed by, only just having missed them both.

"Huh...?" Bel frowned as he pulled his arm out of the other's grip, tilting his head to the side. Beneath his long blond bangs, his hazy eyes blinked in confusion. "...?"

"Are you okay, Belphegor?" Tsuna backed away from the other, putting distance between them; this same blond was the one who had almost killed Gokudera during the Ring Battles, and the Vongola Decimo wasn't sure he'd ever get over it.

"..." It took a few seconds for Bel to nod, as if he had had trouble understanding the question. When he spoke, it was in a dazed voice. "I was just... going for a walk..."

Tsuna didn't know anything about Bel apart from what Reborn had told him, so why did this feel as if it wasn't normal behaviour for the blond? Why did it feel as if something was completely wrong with this situation and it shouldn't _be _this way? "You almost got hit by a car..."

"I did?" Bel just shrugged, seemingly okay with what had almost happened. "Oh..."

"Where were you going, anyway?" Tsuna didn't want to leave Bel out here alone; he was sure that if he did so, the other was going to get hurt – he may not be friends with the older teenager, or even _like _him all that much, but it wasn't in his nature to leave someone like this.

Bel shrugged again, speaking in a distant tone. "Dunno..."

Tsuna sighed, approaching the taller male warily. He reached out, watching the other in case Bel decided to lash out at him, before he eventually placed a hand on the older male's shoulder. "Maybe you should come home with me..."

"Why?" Bel didn't seem resistant; he followed when Tsuna started walking.

"It's... better than being out here alone, isn't it?"

"I like being alone." Somehow, Tsuna felt as if those words were a lie. "...I'll go with you anyway, I guess..."

Tsuna nodded, leaving the other to walk beside him. Neither of them spoke during their walk, but Tsuna _had _pulled the other out of harm's way several more times. He wasn't sure what was going on in Prince the Ripper's head, but something told him it wasn't good.

_**~~XX~~**_

When Tsuna had ushered Bel into his room just fifteen minutes later, he was surprised to find the other suddenly tensing and refusing to go any further than past the doorway. The brunet didn't know why this was, but it seemed Reborn had a pretty good idea.

"Belphegor, you –"

"- Leave him be, Tsuna." The Arcobaleno had been sitting in his chair, sipping away at a cup of tea. He was regarding the two teenagers with an air of understanding, and Tsuna could only wonder what the baby knew _this _time. "Varia members don't trust easily; it could be their downfall."

Tsuna frowned before he nodded, pulling his hands from the blond he had been attempting to tug further into the room, instead moving to sit on his bed. He looked at Bel, and then down at Reborn, not sure what to do now that Bel was here; he simply hadn't wanted for the older male to get hit by a car or anything of that sort – he hadn't thought so far ahead as to what to do _now_. "U-umm..."

Bel's head was ducked, standing still. He probably felt as awkward as Tsuna did, and the Vongola Sky was kicking himself for having not considered this.

"Belphegor, would you like some tea?" Reborn glanced over to Tsuna as he addressed the blond, knowing he'd question why there was a Varia member in the house later – it wasn't like Tsuna to be bringing random people home with him, much less ones who had attempted to murder him and his friends previously.

Bel didn't reply; he instead just frowned, so lost in his own thoughts, he had completely zoned out again.

"Reborn..." Tsuna sighed as he moved to kneel by his tutor's side. He whispered, "I think something's wrong with him... He almost got hit by a car before I pulled him away..."

"Hmm..." Tiny fingers reached up to pat Leon's back as Reborn thought about these words, going over every little thing he had ever known about Belphegor. "He's certainly not in his 'Prince the Ripper' mode. I haven't heard anything about him having a second mood, either; he's either normal or psychotic, and this is neither."

"I know..." Tsuna sighed. "I just... didn't want him to get hurt..."

"Leave him be. I'll come back soon." Reborn stood up from his chair, walking over to the window. He jumped up, leaving the house quickly.

Tsuna just frowned, not sure how he felt about being alone with _Belphegor_; he had wanted the baby to stay with him, confident that he would at least be safe with Reborn by his side. Now... Now he'd probably stand no chance if the blond decided to attack.

This really was a bad idea, wasn't it...?

With a sigh, the student moved over to his TV and turned his gaming system on, hoping to distract himself from the thoughts that were plaguing him; it wouldn't do to stress like this because there wasn't a guarantee Bel _would _snap, anyway.

Tsuna busied himself with focusing on videogames, and once he had started relaxing, he felt more confident that Bel would keep to himself, too. In fact, once he turned around to see what his guest was doing, he was surprised to find the blond curled up on the hardwood floor, seemingly fast asleep.

"Well... At least he won't be bothering me any time soon..." Tsuna turned back to the TV, finally relaxing completely.

_**~~XX~~**_

"No-Good Tsuna, we're back."

Tsuna jumped as his bedroom door slammed against the wall, his eyes wide as he looked over to Bel; he hoped with all his being the blond's sleep hadn't been disturbed, because who knew how _that _would turn out?

"R-reborn!" Tsuna raised a finger to his lips, trying to shush the Arcobaleno before he woke the sleeping Varia member. "Shh!"

"Oh, he won't wake."

Tsuna blinked at the semi-familiar voice. He looked further behind Reborn, finding the Varia Mist floating behind his tutor. The Mist Arcobaleno seemed as calm as ever, seemingly watching him.

"He's used to Squalo slamming doors and breaking stuff; it's just another day for him."

"V-viper?!" Tsuna looked accusingly at Reborn, wondering what had possessed the other to bring _more _Varia members to his home – one was bad enough, and the last thing he wanted was for _Xanxus _to pay him a visit.

"It's Mammon." The Arcobaleno floated over to the Bel before she dropped to the ground, reaching out to pat the blond's cheek. "Bel. Wake up."

It took a minute for the Storm Guardian to stir, but once he had sat up and regained his bearings, he pulled the baby onto his lap, hugging her tight to him.

"Mammy..." The blond's voice was slurred with sleep, but he was coherent enough to know what was going on. "Are we goin' back...?"

"Yes." Mammon was placid as she was carried by her comrade in a rather odd fashion, almost as if she was used to this. "Do you remember where to go?"

"..." Bel sighed, shaking his head. He muttered, in a tone full of defeat, "Wasn't paying attention... Don't know where I am..."

"I thought as much. You'd better pay me for this, Bel."

Bel had gotten to his feet and left the room without so much as a glance towards Reborn and Tsuna, almost as if he hadn't even noticed they were there.

Tsuna turned to Reborn at this, a frown on his face. "You knew Belphegor was lost? That's why you brought Viper back?"

"Even a genius is going to get lost if they're not aware of their surroundings." Reborn shrugged. "Just be glad I didn't bring _Squalo _back with me, No-Good Tsuna."

Tsuna truly _was _grateful for that as he didn't think he could handle the swordsman being in his room without having a heart attack. He just sighed, hoping that now with someone there to keep an eye on him, Belphegor would at least get back to his group safely.

But what had been wrong with him in the first place? Was he alright? Or was there something more to his peculiar behaviour?

Sometimes Tsuna felt he was too nice for his own good.


	2. Chapter 2

When Tsuna saw Bel again the next day, the blond was looking much more chipper; that same maniacal grin the Vongola had seen him don constantly throughout the Ring Battles was on his face, his hands carrying several large takeaway containers full of sushi while Mammon sat on his head. The Varia Storm must have seen Tsuna first because he had quickly changed direction and headed straight for the younger male.

"Hey, Tuna-Fish! Shishi~" Bel's grin widened as he juggled his containers around in his arms, reaching out to poke the brunet's cheek. He cocked his head to the side before he asked, "Where are your friends?"

"They're at their own homes, I guess…" Tsuna was uncomfortable with the taller male being so close to him, but what did you say to someone who would slit your throat at the first opportunity?

"Oh. Then what are _you _doing here?"

"Running errands for my mother…" Tsuna tried to put distance between them, only to have the blond follow him step-for-step. "Belphegor…"

"Our personal jet is having mechanical issues, so we're stuck in Japan until it's fixed. Shishi~ Think I could play with Hayato for a while~?"

Tsuna shook his head, looking to the side. "Gokudera-kun doesn't want to play, Belphegor…"

"That's disappointing." The Varia Storm pouted for a few seconds before he smiled. "Will _you _play with the prince instead, then?"

"I-I'm sorry, Belphegor… I-I'm busy…"

Before Bel could reply, Mammon spoke. "We don't have time to be messing around, Bel. Time is money, and Squalo is going to be angry if we don't come back soon."

"But, Mammy…!" Bel sighed before he nodded, poking Tsuna's face once more. "I have to go, Tuna-Fish~ Bye-bii~"

Tsuna watched the other go in silence, greatly surprised by what he had witnessed; the Bel he had seen yesterday had truly worried him, but… already, the Varia member was back to normal. Had it been a one-off occurrence? Or was Belphegor just good at hiding things?

Shaking his head, Tsuna mumbled to himself as he continued on to the market, clutching the list his mother had given him.

_**~~XX~~**_

When Tsuna returned home an hour later and put everything he had bought on the kitchen counter, the brunet had disappeared back into his room, needing to talk to Reborn about what was happening; if anyone would know what to think, it would be the Arcobaleno.

As expected, the baby was seated in his miniature chair, a cup of steaming hot tea in his hands. The Arcobaleno looked up at his pupil's entry, a knowing smirk crossing his face.

"Reborn…" Tsuna sighed as he moved to throw himself onto the bed, palming at his face in frustration.

"Did something happen, No-Good Tsuna?" Reborn spun around, watching the teenager curiously.

"Ah… I ran into Belphegor on my way to the market, but… It's so weird, Reborn; it's like he was straight back to normal or something… Or what's normal for _him_…"

"Am I correct in assuming Viper was with him?"

The Sky Guardian nodded. "Yeah; she was sitting on his head."

"Hmm." Reborn took a sip of his tea before he raised a finger, coaxing Leon onto it. He patted the chameleon's back as he regarded the brunet, leaving the younger in suspense. "Hmm…"

"Reborn!" Tsuna looked as if he were about to start ripping his hair out. "Reborn, do you know anything or not?!"

"Of course I do, No-Good Tsuna." Reborn smirked as he put his partner back onto his fedora, sipping at his tea once more. "What makes you think I don't?"

"Gah!" The teenager sighed heavily, his sadistic tutor sometimes – or _most _of the time, truthfully – too much for him to handle. "Well, spit it out!"

"Spit what out?" As usual, the Arcobaleno was having a great time messing with his student's head.

"The thing with the – about Belphegor, and – Reborn…!"

The baby chuckled to himself. "I was just simply thinking that friends are a great thing to have. Don't you agree, No-Good Tsuna?"

"What's _that _got to do with anything?" Tsuna didn't even know _why _he had bothered.

"Think about it. He was without Viper yesterday, but today? Good as new."

Tsuna still didn't quite understand what his tutor was getting at, and he instead just gave up completely on the conversation, deciding he'd talk about it instead with Yamamoto and Gokudera the next time he saw them.

Hopefully he'd seen them again instead of Belphegor, because that Storm Guardian _really _scared him.

_**~~XX~~**_

Mammon had been sleeping peacefully in the bed she was sharing with Bel, but at an ungodly hour of the morning, she had been awoken by the teenager's pants and whimpers of horror. The boy was in spasms from his nightmare, twisting and turning violently as he cried out and arched his back, tossing his head side-to-side.

The Mist Guardian wasn't sure if her friend had woken any of the others up, but if he had, they made no acknowledgement of the younger's situation.

When it finally stopped, Bel was panting heavily as sweat rolled down his face, sitting on the edge of the bed as his striped socks rested on the carpet of the hotel floor. His skinny hands rubbed at his face, his body quivering as he mumbled something incomprehensible.

Mammon watched from beneath her hood as the boy jumped off the bed, moving to the bathroom across from them all. The light was switched on and the door left open a crack, Bel's pacing blocking the light every now and then.

The Arcobaleno followed Bel's lead, pushing the door open so that she could peek in. Bel was chewing at his fingernails as he paced back and forth, a horrified look on his face every time he caught his reflection in the mirror. Mammon was as stoic as ever as she watched the blond punch the offending glass, shattering it into millions of tiny pieces that fell into the sink below, sharp edges coated in blood as the red fluid dripped down to the marble floor beneath them.

"Voi!" As expected, Squalo was up and about, and he was _not_ happy. The long-haired man had stomped into the bathroom, almost stepping on Mammon in his foul mood. He kicked the door open before he pointed at the blond guardian holding his bleeding hand to his chest, too tired to even notice that Belphegor had not slipped into his 'Prince the Ripper' mood due to his injury. "What the fuck are you doing, you shithead?! Jerk yourself off and then get back to sleep! Don't keep us up with you because no one wants to hear your nasty-ass noises!"

Bel just glared at the silver-haired man, glad that Xanxus had started shouting at the Rain Guardian now. It would be a small fight between them and then everyone would go back to sleep and Bel could be left on his own with nothing but the thoughts he didn't want to keep him company.

"Bel?" Mammon stepped into bathroom, Fantasma hopping in to jump on her hood. The frog changed form, bringing the baby up to take Bel's hand in her own tiny two. "What's wrong?"

Bel let out a sob as he fell to his knees, clutching his hand tighter to his chest. He drew his knees to his chest, resting his face on them, letting tears run down his cheeks.

"Bel…" Mammon floated over to the cabinet, searching for a first aid kit or something she could use to stem the bleeding. She didn't find anything useful so, settling for one of the white hotel towels on the rack, she brought it over to her friend. As expected, Bel was placid as his injury was tended to, but the sobs never stopped.

The blond watched the Arcobalo for a few seconds once the towel had been torn in half and wrapped around his hand, the blood soaking quickly into the material. He reached out, grabbing the baby carefully and pulled her to his chest, hugging her tight. Fantasma went back to its original form, hopping onto the ground so that Bel could bury his face in against the hood.

Mammon rested a tiny hand against the teenager's arm, feeling Bel's tears soak through her hood and into her indigo hair. This kind of scenario wasn't uncommon between them – it was something that only Bel would trust Mammon to know about, not wanting the other guardians to know he could be so weak sometimes. He trusted the Mist Guardian more than he did _anyone, _the baby having been his first friend _ever, _and he didn't think he'd ever love someone as much as he did Mammon.

"It's okay, Bel." Mammon allowed herself to be held, knowing the blond would soon drift off to her comforting presence. "It's okay."

Bel didn't care that the floor beneath him was cold; he just continued to cry as he held the Mist Guardian, needing to know that he wasn't alone. Mammon didn't mind; she understood why her friend was the way he was, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

"Get the fuck out of there, brat!"

Bel was startled into waking consciousness by Squalo's shout just outside the bathroom door. He tensed as the other pounded against the hardwood, demanding entry.

"If you're jerking off, hurry the fuck up! I want the fucking shower!" At least Squalo could give the youngest privacy for any possible personal activities that could be occurring, Belphegor had to praise.

"Don't rush him, dear; he won't be as satisfied if he can't take his time." Lussuria must have come to the door as well as his sugary voice could be heard from Squalo's side.

"Don't put disgusting fucking images in my head, you faggot! Belphegor! Hurry the fuck up!"

Bel sighed as he looked down, finding Mammon still in his arms. "Come on, Mammy…"

Mammon was silent as she was picked up, letting her friend carry her from the bathroom. Bel opened the door without a word, pushing past Squalo as he made his way over to his bed.

"Watch what you're doing, shithead!" Squalo sneered as he caught sight of Mammon in the boy's arms, knowing that she had been in the bathroom with him. "Baby fucker."

Bel froze at this accusation. He was still for several seconds before he turned around, snarling as he pulled a handful of knives from beneath his pillow. "Say that again… I fucking dare you…"

"I said, you're a baby fucker, you sick bastard." Squalo knew this wasn't the case; Belphegor didn't seem to have much interest in sex – if he had any at all – he had just simply wanted to piss the younger off. "Looks like I'll have to swap partners for you two now."

Bel let a strangled scream escape his throat as he lunged forward, intending with every fibre of his very _existence _on giving Squalo the slowest, most painful death he could muster. Dark eyes widened in surprise, having not expected _this _reaction from the Storm Guardian; Belphegor was supposed to have thrown a tantrum; not tried to murder his superior.

"Belphegor!" Squalo grabbed the scrawny teenager by the sides, arching backwards as three knives cut deeply into his cheek. He dropped the boy, kicking him as hard as he could so that Bel landed hard on the ground several feet away. "Belphegor, what the fuck's – Belphegor, _stop!_"

Bel had gotten straight back to his feet, coming back for more. His mind was anywhere but here, unable to even _think _of dodging the attacks Squalo threw back at him. He snarled and screamed and thrashed once he had been held down to the ground by Lussuria and Leviathan, nothing but killing Squalo on his mind.

"Shut the fuck up, trash." Xanxus popped the cork on one of his wine bottles before he tipped it upside down, drowning the boy with wine. He didn't relent until Bel had rolled onto his side, vomiting it all back up; his sleep had been disturbed, and he was _pissed_; if his guns had been close by, he wouldn't have hesitated to shoot the youngest. It was certainly a waste of good wine, but if it would let him get back to sleep…

"Oi, brat…" Squalo nudged the fallen member with his bare foot. Lussuria had taken Leviathan away, knowing the Lightning Guardian would only make this situation worse if he were to be given a chance to so much as open his mouth. Bel didn't move; he just laid on his side, panting. "Brat, what the fuck got into you? I was only joking!"

Bel growled before he got to his feet, wobbling dangerously as he took two steps towards the hotel room door. He groaned as he fell to the ground, his world spinning uncontrollably, a product of the wine he had been doused with.

"Belphegor!" Squalo stomped towards the boy, leaning down to pull the younger to his feet. His fingers had gripped the striped pyjama top for a split second before the blond shouted something incomprehensible and rolled over, kicking out at the other in a drunken manner. "Goddamnit, Belphegor!"

The Storm Guardian had pushed himself back to his feet, running towards what he assumed was the door due to his double vision. A loud crack filled the air as the boy ran straight into the edge of the door frame, blood pouring down his face as he collapsed to the ground, having been knocked unconcious by his failed escape attempt.

"Fucking brat…" Squalo sighed as he scooped the teen up into his arms. He carried Bel over to the bed, dropping him unceremoniously on the soft mattress. He had turned to leave in order to have a shower, but he was stopped by Mammon's voice. "What?"

"Don't say those things to him again, Squalo." Mammon was as stoic as ever, but there was a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Not only did it offend _me, _Bel doesn't want to be associated with such things. Upset him like that again, and I'll fine you in the triple digits."

"What-fucking-ever…" Continuing on his journey to the bathroom, Squalo muttered under his breath, "It's not like I was being serious or anything…"

_**~~XX~~**_

"You piss me off, you baseball freak!"

"Now, now, Gokudera; let's get along, okay~?"

Tsuna sighed; as expected his two best friends were at it again. He was certain there would never be a walk home from school without Gokudera causing problems. "Guys, let's not fight."

Gokudera crossed his arms against his chest as he looked away from a cheerful Yamamoto. He moved closer to Tsuna, almost as if the brunet's presence was enough to make him forget the tallest of the three even existed.

"Do you want some more help with your homework, Tenth?" Green eyes held a hopeful look as Gokudera's entire demeanour changed from agitated to eager to please.

"Ah, if you could." Tsuna looked up at Yamamoto, smiling as usual. "You want some help, too, Yamamoto?"

"Yup~" Yamamoto reached out, wrapping an arm around Tsuna's shoulders. "I'll go get some sushi and then come over, okay?"

"Ah, that's fine, Yamamoto." Tsuna patted the Rain Guardian's hand as he stopped walking, saying farewell to his friend while Gokudera scowled. "Take your time; we won't start without you."

"Thanks, Tsuna. I'll be back soon." Waving over his shoulder, Yamamoto soon disappeared around the corner.

"He's such a bother." Gokudera spoke in a stuck-up tone, his nose in the air. "Do we really have to invite him over?"

"Of course, Gokudera-kun; he's our friend." Tsuna started walking again, letting the taller male follow behind him. "Can you please try and get along with him a bit better? He just wants to be friends."

It killed Gokudera to agree, but if that's what his beloved Tenth asked of him, he would do it without question. His fingers and eyebrow twitched as he reluctantly agreed. "Sure thing, Tenth…"

"Thanks, Gokudera-kun." Tsuna _did _love his friends, but sometimes their conflict was stressful for him; he liked peace, after all.

_**~~XX~~**_

As promised, Yamamoto soon returned with sushi in tow. What hadn't been expected was for him to have someone following him – two people, if you counted the baby sitting on top of the blond head.

"Belphegor?" Tsuna was anxious about why the other was here, but that was quickly shoved to the back of his head when he was forced to reach out and take the sticks of dynamite his silver-haired friend had resurfaced with. "Gokudera-kun!"

"Tenth, he's probably got the baseball idiot held as hostage!" It was understandable that Gokudera didn't trust his Varia counterpart at all, but right now the silver-haired teenager was taking things too far; Belphegor hadn't done anything but stop at the threshold of the room in silence, his hands in the pockets of his uniform jacket.

Yamamoto seemed oblivious to his friends' uneasiness as he just laughed and jerked his thumb over his shoulder, earning a slight flinch from the blond behind him. "I found Belphegor at my restaurant. It doesn't seem like they're playing the mafia game anymore, so I invited him over."

"You idiot!" There was a lot Gokudera could have said about this – and he _would _have said – but he was quickly silenced by the brunet once again.

"B-belphegor, why don't you come inside?" Tsuna remembered how reluctant the older male had been the last time he was here, but if he had Mammon with him… "You can have some sushi if you want it."

Bel shook his head. He leant against the doorframe as he observed the youngers, becoming even tenser as he felt Mammon get off his head. He watched with obscured eyes as the Mist Arcobaleno approached Reborn, the home tutor seated comfortably on Tsuna's bed with a cup of tea in his hands. He wondered what they were talking about, but it wasn't important; he was tired, and he wanted to go back to the hotel room.

"Why's Belphegor here?" Tsuna leant in close to whisper to his taller friend, brown eyes fixed on the blond warily.

"I think he hurt his head; he was bleeding when I was talking to him at the resturaunt." Yamamoto held a tone of sadness in his voice. "He seemed really sad, so I thought he might want some company."

The three Vongola looked back to the blond. None of them spoke; Mammon's voice floated through the air before they had a chance.

"Go and sit with them, Bel." The two Arcobaleno were watching the Varia Storm, Mammon debating whether or not she would have to bring Bel over herself. She was pleased when, eventually, the boy dragged himself away from the door and hesitantly approached the younger guardians.

Tsuna smiled at his guest while Yamamoto got to work on serving the sushi to everyone. The blond was watching them all warily before he reached out, taking one of the sheets of paper Tsuna and Gokudera had put on the kotatsu earlier. His genius mind scanned the homework, putting together answers he had never been taught before; it all seemed self-explanatory to him, after all.

"Tsuna did mention he ran into Belphegor again." Reborn watched the group, ready to intervene should the unpredictable teenager snap without warning.

"I think he's just tired." Mammon sat down on the mattress, hoping that if Bel were to feel comfortable around the group, he may settle down for the day; his moodswings had been uncontrollable as of late, and more often than not, they seemed to be unprovoked; the Mist Arcobaleno had a feeling it was because the blond's mental health was dwindling faster than ever; the strain that had been put upon Bel's mind at such a young age was a heavy burden, and no matter how cracked and bloodthirsty he was, he had still been a little boy when he had killed his family – it would be enough to mess anyone up in the head. "Squalo's been stirring him up more often lately, and he hasn't got the privacy of his room to get away from it; that's why I took him out for sushi."

"He seems calm now, but can he be trusted to stay that way?" Reborn lifted a hand to his fedora, inviting Leon onto it.

"Who knows?" Mammon shrugged tiny shoulders. "Bel is unpredictable. He may seem calm and relaxed one second, and the next he'll try and slit your throat."

"What's the cause for his unusual behaviour? It isn't like him to be so quiet and withdrawn."

"It happens. Every now and then, it happens. It's trauma, from the cruel life he led previously and then slaughtering the ones causing him pain."

"He doesn't seem like the remorseful type."

"Of course he's not. But he was eight, driven into insanity by his family. He killed them with his own bare hands because of everything they had put him through; any eight-year-old would come out of that with problems." Mammon sighed, knowing not to say too much; Bel kept his pain hidden for a reason, and he didn't want anyone but her to know about it. "That's fifty dollars for hearing what I have to say on the subject, Reborn. My information doesn't come for free."

Reborn smirked, knowing he'd make Tsuna pay her with his own money later; for now, he had to make sure the blond didn't snap.

_**~~XX~~**_

Night had long-since fallen, and Tsuna's guests were still over. He didn't mind; he loved spending time with his friends. To their surprise, Bel and Mammon were still over, the two finishing off the sushi that hadn't been eaten. Bel hadn't spoken a word to anyone but Mammon since his arrival, but he seemed a tad more comfortable; he was sitting on Tsuna's bed with Mammon in his lap, his muscles looser as he lifted chopsticks to his lips every now and then. He tensed whenever someone came near him, but he seemed more in control of himself as his snarling would quickly stop once Mammon would put a tiny hand on his arm. The Vongola let him be as much as they could, but Tsuna naturally tried to include him in what they were doing; he didn't like the idea of ignoring Bel.

With a yawn, Yamamoto stretched his arms into the air. "I should get going, Tsuna; my dad's probably wondering where I am."

"Yeah, me too, Tenth." Gokudera grabbed his bag from the corner of the room, making sure his homework was inside it. "I'll see you at school tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Night, Gokudera-kun."

"Oi, Gokudera!" Yamamoto waved farewell to the brunet before he, too, grabbed his bag and chased after the silver-haired male. "Wait up! Let's walk together!"

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head as he turned to look at the two Varia members. "What are you guys doing?"

Bel shrugged. Mammon looked up at her friend before she turned back to the Sky Guardian, her demeanour soft; it was as if she knew Bel well enough to be able to read him with just one glance – in truth, she probably did; Tsuna had heard that the two were always together.

"Can we stay for the night?" Mammon moved the container of sushi from her lap, putting it onto the mattress beside Bel.

"Yeah, sure…" Tsuna was nervous of letting them stay, but what could he do? Say no and risk putting Bel into a bad mood? Kick them out into the cold? He wasn't a cruel person…! "Let me just go set up the spare bedroom and – B-belphegor…?"

Tsuna didn't know what to think as he watched the blond swipe aggressively at all of the plastic containers, sending them sprawling to the floorboards messily. He flinched as the other ripped the blankets back seconds before he crawled in beneath them, cradling Mammon to his chest as he did so.

"T-that's _my _bed…" Tsuna reached out, intending on touching the older male, but he quickly backed away when the other swung a knife at him, only just missing the brunet. "Okay, okay, you can have it for tonight! Hiee!"

Tsuna couldn't believe how quickly Bel's mood had changed from calm to seemingly angry and aggressive, and for no apparent reason! He had been sitting there so peacefully, munching away on leftovers, and then…

Bel laid on his back, carefully putting Mammon on his chest with a tenderness that didn't fit the picture; it was as if he were afraid of breaking the Arcobaleno if he used the slightest bit of strength. The baby curled up on him, looking at Tsuna as the blankets were lifted over them.

"He gets a bit touchy when he's tired." Mammon accepted the arm that rested over her, knowing that Bel just wanted to know she was with him as he drifted off to sleep. "Let him sleep and you won't have any problems; it's when you come near him and try to touch him he'll get agitated."

Tsuna nodded, knowing it was probably better for him to just leave the room altogether; Bel was dangerous enough as it was and the brunet didn't want to find out what the blond was like when he was tired.

Tiptoeing over to the bedroom door, Tsuna didn't even bother to get changed into pyjamas; he simply turned the bedroom light off and left for the spare room, hoping the other would be a bit more sociable in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

When Tsuna woke up the next morning, the first thing he did was check on Belphegor. The boy was curled up in the brunet's bed, Mammon still in his arms. It looked as if he had drawn his knees to his stomach from the way the blankets were sitting, and his body was quivering violently. It couldn't have been from the cold because the thermostat had kept the house warm all night.

Was the blond having nightmares? Wait; did Varia members even _have _nightmares? It was hard to imagine someone in such a squad to have bad rest habits – Tsuna couldn't see the Varia as people with _any _sort of weakness.

"Belphegor…?" Tsuna timidly closed the door behind him, tiptoeing over to the bed. He stopped by the side of the mattress, reaching out to shake the other awake. "Belphe – hiee!"

The brunet flung himself backwards as an all-too-familiar knife was swung at him, only just missing him by inches. He fell to the ground in an undignified heap, his heart starting to beat faster.

"Calm down, Bel." The Arcobaleno sat up, moving a tiny hand beneath her hood to rub at her eyes. "Don't slaughter your host; we kind of need him alive."

Bel mumbled something before he pulled his arm back beneath the blankets, a soft clinking of metal-upon-metal sounding before the boy rolled over so that his back was to Tsuna.

"Belphegor…" Tsuna watched with wary eyes as Mammon crawled out of the Varia Storm's hold, moving to stand on the mattress by Bel's bed.

"Don't sneak up on me like that unless you want to die, peasant…" Bel muttered sleepily, tugging the blankets tighter around him.

"Bel isn't a morning person." Mammon jumped off the bed, heading towards the door. "Where is the bathroom?"

Tsuna moved to show the baby where to go before he returned back to his room, needing to get ready for the day; he had to get ready for school, but with Bel in the room…

"Eh, Belphegor…?"

Bel didn't stir; he just lay where he was, not so much as a twitch showing he had heard the other.

"Belphegor…"

"Go away, peasant."

Tsuna sighed, trying to put on a brave act; as much as he was scared of Bel, he didn't want to let the older male walk all over him in _his _home. "Belphegor, this is _my _room."

"Don't care; leave." Again, Bel stayed where he was, his voice muffled slightly by the blankets. "It's _my _room now."

"No, it's not!"

"It is if the _prince _says it is!" Belphegor sat up, turning to glare at Tsuna. "This is _my _bed now! _I_ slept in it!"

"Your bed is back in Italy!"

"No, it isn't!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it isn't!"

"Yes, it – hiee!" Tsuna quickly gave up the argument when three knives were flung past him, a clear warning that if he continued to protest, he would become a cactus.

"It's _my _room now, and _my _bed." Bel let himself fall back down onto the mattress, pulling the blankets back over him. "It doesn't belong to a _peasant _anymore; it's claimed."

Tsuna frowned, knowing not to piss Bel off any further than he already had; he was lucky to have gotten off with a warning, after all.

"What are you doing, Bel?" Mammon had returned to the room, looking up at the bed. "You're acting like a child. This is _not _your room _or _your bed. Get out from under the blankets and get in the shower before I fine you; you didn't have one yesterday."

Tsuna was surprised the boy didn't put up a fight to this; instead, Bel just got out from under the blankets slowly before he trudged out of the room, moving in the direction the Mist Arcobaleno was pointing him in.

"Is he always so possessive…?" Tsuna scratched as his head in uneasiness, a nervous expression on his face.

"Yes, that's normal behaviour for him; he thinks everything is his." Mammon lifted her arm, revealing a tiny wristwatch Tsuna hadn't seen her wear before. "We should be leaving once he's out of the shower; the others are probably wondering where we are."

Tsuna nodded in understanding, able to picture Squalo as the type of person who would demand to know the ins and outs of everything that went on with his squad members. "I wouldn't have gotten you in trouble, would I?"

Mammon shrugged her tiny shoulders. "If Squalo wants to bitch about it, I'll just fine him for more money than he can afford."

Tsuna chuckled nervously as he stood up, moving to get his uniform from the closet. "I'm going to get dressed now; you can go downstairs and my mother will give you some breakfast."

"Is it free?"

"Yeah…"

Mammon nodded, mostly to herself, before she left; she knew Bel would be fine by himself, so she didn't worry about telling him where she was going; the boy would work it out for himself soon enough.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel turned off the taps to the shower. He hesitated before he stepped out, grabbing the towel that was hanging on the rack opposite him. He rubbed at his face with it before he went to dry his body, only to freeze with an angry snarl as he noticed faded scars on his body, feeling as if he could throw up as his obscured eyes fixed on the carved name across his stomach, one he loathed more than anything in the world. It hadn't been _him _who had done it – he would never mar his princely body with such filth, after all – and every time he laid eyes on the name, it made him want to throw up.

Sneering to himself, Bel dried his scarred body off, dressing himself quickly; he hated being forced to look at his marks, knowing that, out of them all, so few of them had come from his missions; just about all of them had come from the one person, and it pissed Belphegor off more than anything.

Ignoring his wrists and thighs marred with fresh cuts – ones he had inflicted upon himself – he slid his oversized, baggy striped shirt over his torso, moving next to his pants. He shoved them on hastily before he grabbed his jacket, carrying it out of the room.

"Mammy?" The blond checked the bedroom he had been in earlier, only to find it empty. Frowning to himself, Bel then headed downstairs, following the snippets of conversation he could hear. He was surprised to find Mammon seated at the dining table, eating in silence as everyone crowded around her, talking happily. "Mammy, why are you eating breakfast with these peasants?"

"I'm hungry." Mammon didn't protest as she was lifted off the stack of books boosting her over the edge of the table. She ignored it as the objects were swiped to the ground in an aggressive manner, feeling the boy sit on the chair and hold her himself. "Eat something before we go back to the hotel."

Bel crinkled his nose up in distaste. "Princes don't eat with _peasants_. Hurry and eat, Mammy; the prince wants to go."

"Patience is a virtue, Bel."

Tsuna watched the boy carefully, noticing how tender he was towards Mammon, unable to understand why he couldn't seem to show that same care towards anyone else. Did the Arcobaleno really mean that much to him? But why _her_? Why not Squalo, or Lussuria?

Tsuna didn't try to stop the two when they soon left, knowing that Bel had had enough for one morning; he was a difficult one to deal with, and the problem with Belphegor was, if you weren't careful, you would wind up dead.

Tsuna didn't want to die – not yet, and certainly not by the Varia Storm's hand.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Mammy…"

Mammon looked up towards the boy, being carried along in the usual manner. She didn't mind; it saved her own energy, after all. "What's wrong, Bel?"

"It's happening again…" Bel stopped moving, instead letting Mammon fall from his arms and onto his feet. He raised a hand to his face as he fell to his knees, a soft keen escaping his lips. He whimpered before he curled into a ball, biting at his lip as he desperately tried to block all sound out, his body starting to tremble. "Mammy, make them stop… Make them go away…"

Mammon moved to stand by the boy's face, leaning down to pat a soft cheek. "Bel, it's just a hallucination."

"Make them go…" Bel scrunched his eyes shut tight, shaking his head as he tried with all his strength to pretend that he wasn't seeing the family he had slaughtered, the blood he had drawn from them. He didn't want to hear their ghostly whispers, telling him how much they hated him, how they wished they had killed him when they had had the chance – how useless and pathetic he was and how no one would ever love him. "S-shut up… Stop it…"

Mammon ignored the crowd that had gathered around, paying no heed to their murmurs. She acknowledged them only when she stopped a woman from reaching out to Bel, knowing that if someone were to touch the blond in this state, it would be catastrophic.

Bel's breaths came in harsh pants as he struggled desperately for air, reliving his childhood all over again before his eyes. A strangled scream escaped his lips as he remembered searing pain, cruel words, nothing but hate from those he was supposed to call his family. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he curled tighter into a ball, feeling again as if he were that helpless little boy who didn't understand why he was treated differently from everyone else.

One more scene from his past played before his eyes before Bel passed out, the memories too much for him to take. Mammon sat by his side, grabbing the boy's phone from his pocket. She dialled Squalo's number and, after explaining that their Storm Guardian had passed out – though she didn't give any other details – waited for the man to come and get them.

Mammon hoped Squalo would keep his mouth shut about this; Bel suffered enough inner turmoil without feeling as if he were being judged for things out of his control.


	5. Chapter 5

Within the days that had passed, the Varia had grown frustrated with being stuck in a hotel room in Japan. They had instead booked out flights for the first plane back to Italy, and now the group were seated on it. While none of them were particularly happy about ditching their private jet for _this, _Bel was the one taking it hardest; he disliked being around so many people he couldn't kill, and it was taking everything he had not to grab a knife and slit the throat nearest to him.

Instead, Bel was sitting by Mammon's side in a window seat, no one else in their row. The boy was digging one of his knives into a magazine he had found, staring out of the window as he watched the airport workers finish what they were doing. He sighed, wishing they could just be back in Italy already.

While it had at least been quiet so far, Bel could feel his patience snap when a baby somewhere on the flight started to cry. He grit his teeth together as he sat up straight, his obscured eyes searching for the annoyance.

"Calm down, Bel." Mammon was counting bills, sensing her friend tensing beside her. "It'll probably stop soon."

"Make it stop _now_."

"I can't."

Bel growled, trying his hardest to ignore the baby, but it soon became impossible when, what felt like an eternity later, he could still hear its cries ringing in his ears. Standing up from his seat, the boy grabbed a handful of knives as he stormed out into the aisle, searching for the baby.

"Bel!" Mammon, who knew exactly what was about to happen, snapped at her friend. She prepared herself for an illusion or two, knowing to do whatever it took to calm the blond; in a situation like this, they couldn't afford to let him go crazy. "Sit down!"

Bel ignored her completely, instead lunging at the offending baby and its mother, his hand full of knives raised as obscured eyes shone hatefully. The mother's eyes widened as she screamed, clutching tighter to her baby, having never expected this to happen.

"Belphegor!"

Just before the knives could make contact, Squalo had tackled the boy away, grabbing the younger's arms as he restrained Bel. He winced as knives dug into his skin, but he held tighter to the teenager, knowing he had to get Bel off the plane _now_.

"Calm down, Bel!" Lussuria and Leviathan had jumped from their seats as well, Mammon floating over to sit on Squalo's head. Leviathan, who knew what state of mind Bel was in, grabbed the Storm Guardian's hand seconds before he snapped each finger, forcing the youngest to drop his weapons before someone got killed. He didn't give one shit for the passengers, but if his beloved boss got hurt…

"Fucking hell!" Squalo sneered as holding Bel back became harder, the smaller male's thrashing wild. "Belphegor!"

Lussuria did the first thing he could think of, knowing how dangerous it is to leave Bel like this – only too many times had they gotten hurt trying to control him. He lifted his knee and slammed it into the side of Bel's head as hard as he could, watching the teenager go limp in Squalo's arms as blood started to stain his blond hair, dripping to the floor of the cabin.

"Xanxus!" Squalo picked Bel up, holding the boy bridal style as he turned to glare at the man who had done nothing but watch the scene. "Get your fucking ass out of that seat! We're dropping the baby off somewhere the private jet can get him so shit like this doesn't happen again!"

Xanxus glared lazily before he pushed himself onto his feet, following grudgingly behind the others; he might as well follow them and hope for a more peaceful flight next – like Bel, he also hated crying babies.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Tsu-kun! You have visitors!"

Tsuna dropped the textbook he had been reading under Gokudera's supervision before he stood up, excusing himself from his two friends. "It's probably Haru; I'll be back."

Gokudera and Yamamoto looked at each other at their friend's departure, each going back to what they were doing previously; homework.

"I wonder what Tenth –"

"- Hiee!"

"Tenth!" Gokudera ditched everything as he stood up and ran from the room, prepared to fight to the death for his best friend. Yamamoto followed behind, knowing there weren't many people who would show up to Tsuna's home just to scare him.

To their surprise, the Varia were standing in the living room of Tsuna's home, the loud Rain Guardian shoving an unconscious Belphegor into the brunet's arms. Tsuna fell over with the unexpected weight, the blond boy rolling onto the floor unceremoniously.

"What the hell do you freaks want?" Gokudera reached into his arsenal, ready to resurface with a handful of bombs.

"None of your fucking business, you rude little shit!" Squalo roared.

"Pot calling the kettle black, asshole!"

"Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna let Yamamoto scoop the unconscious boy up from the ground as he instead moved to push the silver-haired teenager back a few steps, not wanting a fight to break out in his home. "Gokudera-kun, calm down! They're just here to drop Belphegor off to me! No need to fight!"

Gokudera scowled at the Varia members before he looked to Tsuna, confusion evident in his orbs. "Why would they drop him off to you, Tenth?"

"Because the little brat's too mentally unstable to be put on a fucking plane with the rest of us." The long-haired man sneered before he turned to Xanxus, the leader of Varia standing behind him. "We'll send the jet out when it's fixed; now let's get the fuck out of here, Xanxus."

Xanxus grunted in agreement as he turned around to leave the house, Leviathan behind him. Lussuria giggled before he blew a kiss to the teenagers, wriggling his butt before he chased after his comrades. Squalo stayed behind, his eyes strangely soft as he regarded Bel. He reached out, patting blond hair.

"Make sure you look after him; he's invaluable." Dark eyes regarded the Arcobaleno perched on his shoulder. "Are you staying, Mammon?"

"Of course; Bel will pay me if I do." With that said, Mammon floated down so that she was sitting on Gokudera's head. She was stoic as the teenager swatted at her, not bothered in the least.

Squalo shrugged. "What-fucking-ever. Just make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

The Mist Arcobaleno hummed, watching her commanding officer leave. She then looked to Yamamoto, finding the Vongola Rain had Bel cradled in his arms. "You should probably clean the blood from him before he wakes up and snaps again. Dress it so it doesn't keep bleeding while you're at it; I doubt you want him trying to slit your throats."

Yamamoto laughed cheerfully while Gokudera and Tsuna shared uneasy looks. "I can do that!"

"Be careful, Yamamoto…" Tsuna patted his friend on the shoulder before the baseball addict headed to the bathroom, knowing the taller male could handle himself; it was now just a matter of hoping Belphegor would be able to be controlled until the private jet was fixed and ready to come and get him.

"You can't _really _be babysitting the knife freak, Tenth…" Gokudera looked frightened, as if he didn't believe his boss would come out of this alive. "He'll kill you in your sleep!"

"He stayed a few nights ago, and didn't have any trouble with him." Tsuna chose to leave out the parts the blond had scared the shit out of him.

"Bel is fine as long as his space is respected." Mammon hadn't moved from on top of the silver head. "Let him do what he wants and you won't have any trouble with him."

Tsuna frowned, knowing there was more to Bel than he could understand.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel blinked as he came to, finding himself lying on the bed he knew was Tsuna's. He sighed as he rolled onto his side, wondering how he had gotten here when he had been on a plane back to Italy previously.

"Carry the five, and then –"

"- Why am I here?"

The three Vongola looked up from their homework at Bel's voice, finding the boy sitting up as he frowned at them. They shared looks before Tsuna said, "Squalo asked for me to look after you for a while."

"Why?" Slender fingers instinctively curled around his knives, offended by these words; was someone thinking of him as _weak_? "I don't _need _to be looked after!"

"It's only until the jet can come and get you." Mammon, who had been sitting on the other side of the room with Reborn, called out. The two had been talking amongst themselves about their fellow Arcobaleno, leaving the teenagers to their own devices. "Calm down."

"But, Mammy, they're treating me like I'm a child!" Bel pouted, thumping his foot down on the mattress angrily.

"You _are _a child, Bel." Mammon sighed. "Be quiet now; the grownups are talking."

Bel shot a scandalised look to his friend before he huffed, throwing himself down on the mattress so that he could hide beneath the covers; it wasn't common for Mammon to side with someone over him, and he _hated _whenever she did; he liked having all the attention for himself, and it pissed him off when he wasn't getting it.

"Should you really be talking to him like that…?" Tsuna was wary of the older male attacking them.

"It's very rare for him to attack me." Mammon shrugged. "He only does it when he's out of control."

Tsuna frowned, looking back at the lump beneath his blankets. "…How easy does that happen?"

"Pretty easily. Make him bleed and he snaps. Don't keep him stimulated enough and he goes funny. God forbid you let him get bored, too."

Tsuna squeaked. "Is he bored?!"

"Bel." Mammon waited until a head of blond hair was looking at her again. "Are you bored?"

"No…" With that said, the boy disappeared again.

"You can ask him yourself. It's not going to get you killed." Mammon turned back to Reborn, sliding a piece of paper across their tiny table in between them. "Twenty euros for my help, Vongola."

What Mammon hadn't told them was that, despite the usual triggers for Bel's psychotic behaviour, there was a much deeper, underlying problem; Bel was _very _unstable mentally, and the main problem was that he was sick enough to hallucinate randomly, relive his traumatising past, and have his sanity picked apart by his own mind; the boy couldn't go a few days without his head messing with him, telling him how pathetic he was, how he was only good for slitting throats – his princely pride was still intact, but beneath that, he had no self-confidence, he was self-loathing, and the very thin string that was keeping him somewhat sane was close to breaking any day now.

Beneath the bloodlust and the princely pride, Bel was simply a lonely boy who was unable to feel as if _anyone _loved and cared about him, a child who missed the family that had made him the way he was. He had never had the luxury of friends before he met Mammon; he hadn't even been allowed out of the castle _grounds_; all he had ever known was hatred and abuse – all he _still _knew.

Just because Bel was a Varia member didn't mean he wasn't fragile; he needed to be looked after, even though he would _never _admit it.


	6. Chapter 6

In just two days of having allowed Bel to stay with him, Tsuna was seriously wondering just what was going through the boy's head; the blond's moods were unpredictable, euphoric one moment and then angry the next. The brunet was almost too afraid to go near the older male lest he get hurt, but Mammon disapproved every time Tsuna avoided his guest; she said it would only make things worse for Bel if he weren't helped.

Currently, Tsuna was lying awake in his bed at three in the morning – having _finally _convinced Bel to sleep elsewhere had been Mammon's doing, having been snuck a payment or two from the Vongola – listening to the boy talk to himself; Bel was laughing, mumbling away as he tossed and turned on the futon by the younger's bed. He was awake, sitting up and pacing the room on occasion. Tsuna was greatly uneasy, having no idea who the young assassin was talking to.

And then, with one loud snarl, Bel's laughter stopped as he hissed for someone to shut up. He threw a handful of knives into the corner of the room, growling something that sounded suspiciously like, "Fucking kill you, Siel!"

Tsuna stayed where he was in silence, scared that if he so much as moved a muscle, the blond would turn on him next.

"Bel." Mammon must have woken up to the boy's actions. "What's wrong?"

"Siel… keeps taunting me…" Bel spoke in a quiet voice, full of stress. He returned to the futon, sitting down on it as he picked Mammon up. "I can hear him. I think he's in the corner."

"There's no one there, Bel. Go back to sleep."

"I'm not tired." Bel certainly did seem full of energy this morning. "I'm bored. I want to play."

"We're not in Italy, Bel. Your host is sleeping."

"No, he's not. He's been awake for as long as I have been. You know that, Mammy." Bel lifted his head, his obscured eyes seemingly fixing on the Vongola Sky. "I want to _play_."

Mammon sighed. "No one's playing with anyone at this hour of the morning, Bel. _Sleep_."

"I don't want to. I'm not _tired_." Bel crossed his arms against his chest stubbornly, having all but forgotten about the ghostly whispers that had been plaguing him all night.

"You can turn the TV on if you want to, Belphegor…" Tsuna was timid, hoping he wouldn't direct the blond's wrath onto him; he just didn't want the boy to keep acting like this.

Bel didn't reply; he instead stood up and carried Mammon over to the set, fiddling with the buttons until at last the TV had turned on. The sudden brightness in the otherwise pitch-black room hurt Tsuna's eyes, but at least it was better than letting Bel snap; he'd take this discomfort over having the other trying to kill him any day.

Bel flicked through the channels idly before he stopped, late night adult programs showing. He frowned as he glanced over to the bed, wondering if Tsuna would let him watch this. However, it wasn't Tsuna who told him to change the channel; it was Mammon.

"You're not watching this garbage, Bel." Mammon pulled herself from the other's arms, reaching up to move to the next channel. "That's for _private _viewing; you know this."

Bel sighed, continuing on with his program changing until he settled for anime he had found. He laid himself back onto the futon, Mammon in his arms once again.

"Mammy…" The Varia Storm's hot breath blew over Mammon's ear, sending shivers down her spine. "Mammy, my hand hurts…"

Mammon turned to look at the bandaged hand resting limply in the boy's lap; there were splints on each digit, Squalo having tended to the fingers Leviathan had snapped on their way to Tsuna's home. "Try and ignore it, Bel."

While Tsuna soon drifted off back to sleep soon after, Mammon stayed awake with Bel, the two talking about random things in an effort to keep the scrawny male's attention away from the voices he heard.

Mammon's thoughts drifted off to Bel having tried to watch porn earlier; she knew his sexual drive wasn't commonly active, though when it was, he was in for a rough ride; it was part of his unbalanced moods, leaving him sexually promiscuous; it happened most when the boy's mania grew too overwhelming for him to be able to resist.

The Arcobaleno was glad when her friend had soon fallen asleep once more, hoping that he would soon be able to pull himself out of this bad state.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel was still asleep when Tsuna awoke the next morning, the TV playing in the background. Mammon was awake, still curled up in Bel's arms.

"About time you woke up." Mammon rolled over, looking up at the brunet. "Don't you have school today?"

"Yeah, I do." Tsuna stretched before he got out of the bed, careful not to go anywhere near Bel; he had learnt the hard way that he would only have a knife swiping at his ankles if he did so. "Can I ask you something…?"

"Fifty euros."

"I only have Japanese currency, but… okay…" Tsuna was uncomfortable, taking a deep breath before he asked, "Is Belphegor… bipolar…?"

"Who knows?" Mammon didn't move when the blond's arms squeezed her unconsciously. "He's never been to see a mental health professional; he'd be locked up in some crazy ward somewhere, never to see the light of day again."

"But what if Squalo or someone organised like a mafia psychologist to see him?" Tsuna had no idea if such a thing in the mafia even _existed, _but if they did, at least Bel wouldn't be taken away from his home and locked away in a room with padded walls and a straitjacket restraining him. "I think he… really needs some help…"

"Bel is _beyond_ help." Mammon was as stoic as ever. "Regardless of if he were put into therapy or even _medicated, _he is a Varia member; he sees things on a daily basis that scar him; it would be redundant to try and fix the problems when more layers will undoubtedly be added."

"You can't be trying to tell me you're just going to let him suffer…" Tsuna was horrified by this idea; after what he had seen last night, Bel needed help – _now_. "He's your _friend, _and clearly something is _wrong _with him!"

"What was your first clue, Vongola?" Beneath her hood, Mammon rolled her eyes. "Bel is _not _my friend; Varia is no place for such bonds – they get broken only too easy in that profession." Mammon wasn't one to admit weaknesses, and as much as she _did _consider Bel her friend, she knew it could lead to their downfall if others were to use their bond against them.

"But you -!" Tsuna quickly shut up when Bel started to stir. He sincerely hoped the other hadn't heard their conversation, and it seemed they were safe as he soon sat up, reaching beneath his bangs to rub at his eyes.

"I'm hungry…" Bel pouted childishly as he fell back to the futon, dragging an arm over his eyes. "Someone make the prince breakfast…"

Mammon ignored this, instead saying, "The Vongola is going to school; there will be breakfast waiting downstairs for you."

Bel moved his arm away as he cocked his head slightly, looking to Tsuna. "Can I come to school, too? I've never been to school before."

"But you can't; you're not a student." Tsuna crossed the room to get his uniform, intending on going to the bathroom to get dressed. "They won't let you in, and if Hibari-san –"

"- They'll let the prince in if he becomes a student, then?" There was a hopeful hint to Bel's voice, one that told Tsuna he was probably desperate to go to school. He giggled as he received a nod in reply, jumping to his feet. "C'mon, Mammy; let's go eat breakfast and then become students~!"

"You're not even dressed, Bel." Mammon tugged on the red silk pyjamas the boy was wearing. "We can go _after _you're dressed."

Bel nodded, dropping Mammon so that he could change into casual clothing. He threw on a rainbow-striped shirt and jeans, and a black hoody hung down his skinny body, baggier than the usual striped shirt he wore. Tsuna wondered why the boy seemed to like stripes so much, but he thought it was better not to ask; Bel was… _peculiar, _to say the least, and he might find himself scarred for life if he knew the answer.

_**~~XX~~**_

"And then he was talking about someone named Siel…" Tsuna frowned as he explained to his two friends what had occurred last night. The three of them were walking through the school corridor on their way to their classes, Gokudera and Yamamoto listening intently to what Bel had been through. "I asked Viper if he has bipolar, and she –"

"- Tenth!"

"Hiee!" Tsuna flinched and jumped backwards as a blue blur ran at him. He lifted his head, wide eyes looking at the blond he had just been talking about; Bel was clad in the Namimori Middle uniform, a big grin on his face as what Tsuna imagined was an illusionary teenage-Mammon stood behind him, her mouth downturned in a frown. She wasn't in her baby form; instead long indigo hair fell down her front, the uniform on her also. Her hood was still present, leaving the brunet to wonder how she could see her surroundings so easily.

"They let us in, Tuna-Fish~" Bel grinned brightly as he stood by the Vongola's side, showing off his new uniform. "They gave us lockers and everything! They were going to say we could start in a few days, so I had to make them let us in now."

Tsuna could only imagine what the boy had done to convince them, and he decided it was better to not know; all that mattered was that Bel seemed to be chipper today – a welcome change from his previous down episodes.

Tsuna just hoped a mood change wouldn't occur any time soon.

"That's good, Belphegor." Tsuna smiled shyly at the blond, ignoring Gokudera's mutters. "The teacher will be here soon. Do you know where you're sitting?"

"The prince will sit wherever he wants, of course." Bel's smile widened before he turned to look at Mammon. He gestured to the Arcobaleno, his obscured eyes shining with excitement. "Look! Mammy used her illusions to make herself look grown-up! She did this all the time when I was little because it helped with my insomnia; she hasn't done it for a while, though."

Tsuna smiled, blocking out the loud shrill of the bell ringing overhead. "Well, let's go inside, Belphegor."

Bel was placid as he followed the younger males into the room, making sure to stick close to Mammon. Tsuna wondered how much money she had been bribed with to go along with the young prince's whims, and if Bel would ever find himself broke because of her prices.

More than that, Tsuna wondered how long it would take for Hibari to discover them and try to beat the shit out of Belphegor. Hopefully Bel would just be able to enjoy his first day of school without stress; no one deserved to struggle as much as the blond seemingly did.


End file.
